Early Childhood Assistant Teacher

Department: Bright Beginnings
Reports to: Pre-K Coordinator or Infant/Toddler Coordinator
Employment Type: In-Person, Full-Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt

About Our House

Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work, wise decision-making, and active participation in the community. The Our House team has defined a set of seven Guiding Principles that characterize our culture and that we intentionally seek to uphold: Hard Work, Wise Decision-Making, Community, Initiative, Integrity, Safety, and Heart.

About the Role

You will be responsible for providing a safe and developmentally appropriate infant-Pre-K child development program in accordance with Arkansas’ Minimum Licensing Standards for Child Care Centers. You will also be responsible for working with the staff of our other programs to incorporate the two-generation approach to service of children and parents.

What You’ll Do

• Assist with the supervision of children at all times in the classroom, bathroom, changing area, and playground
• Assist classroom teachers in establishing consistent daily routines (both classroom routines and caregiving routines) and provide positive guidance to children
• Assist with documentation of daily needs, observations, and developmental milestones through developmental checklists and Work Sampling System
• Assist in food service (receiving food, maintaining cleanliness, washing bowls, etc.)
• Assist in developing and implementing daily and weekly lesson plan activities that meet the physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs of the children in the program through whole group, small group, and individual activities
• Attend training for and implement Conscious Discipline in the classroom
• Demonstrate competence in daily classroom management
• Clearly and effectively communicate in a manner that children understand
• Integrate special needs children in a positive and appropriate manner
• Be familiar with and execute licensing requirements and emergency procedures to provide a safe and secure environment for children
• Ensure equipment and the facility are clean, well maintained, organized, and safe at all times
• Communicate effectively and regularly with parents and other professionals
• Discuss identified problems and needs with professionals as appropriate
• Participate in and promote Bright Beginnings and Our House activities (Family Fun Night, Be Your Child’s Best Advocate, Positively Parenting!, etc.)
• Develop programming to engage and track parents activity in Bright Beginnings
• Work alongside National Service Members to ensure that they are able to fully carry out lessons and activities that they have prepared for the class
• Collaborate with other team members to ensure smooth transitions, consistency in program practices, high quality curriculum and lesson planning, and effective communication across different age groups and program areas
• Attend and participate in weekly team meetings
• Perform Teacher responsibilities in the absence of a Teacher or other staff member
• Other duties as assigned to fulfill Our House’s mission

What You’ll Bring

• Experience working with young children
• Ability to work effectively with diverse staff, parents, and community members
• Experience with conflict resolution and/or crisis management preferred 
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to curriculum planning
• Passion, idealism, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed

Requirements

• One of these is preferred: Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, Bachelor's Degree in a related field, or CDA
   
• Must be able to pass criminal background checks, child and adult maltreatment registry checks, sex offender registry checks, and a pre-employment drug screen
• Complete a minimum of 30 clock hours of professional development each year
• Must be able to lift 30 lbs

Benefits & Perks

• Insurance benefits are available on the first day of the month following start date:
  • 100% employer-paid premiums for employee health insurance
  • Optional employee-paid dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401(k) match up to 4% after one year of employment
• 10 days of annual leave and 10 holidays per year including a birthday holiday
• 15 days additional leave for requirements of life
• Employee Assistance Program 
• Eligible for tuition discount at UA Little Rock

Our House is a drug-free workplace. 

Our House is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. People of color and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply.